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Claws
Emma's sister is missing. Her parents have spent all their money trying to find her and the family has moved to a trailer park for Crags - magical creatures that live on the edge of human society - next to the dark forest. Here Emma meets a smooth-talking cat named Jack who has a plan to rescue her sister. He shows her how to shape-shift, to develop claws and cat senses. But cat magic isn't easy, and Emma soon learns her sister is in the thrall of the faeries, the most beautiful and dangerous creatures of all.
229 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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838 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
June 28, 2014
4.5
When I borrowed this book from a library looking for an easy & quick read I didn't expect that I will be hooked. What a pleasant surprise!
Set in a world that is very familiar to ours, (think of Alternative Universe) with one major difference magic and magical creatures (and magical persons) are real and live with humans. Emma's world is a bit too much similar with ours and that the main reason why I can't give 5 stars. I will explain why. In a world where magical creatures are real and live with humans, I just can't believe that this world will have the same history/progress as ours. To me it seems very unlikely that in Emma's world would exist Gregorian (Christian) calendar or that crags(that how magical creatures are called) would allow human made laws interfere with their activities. But that the only complain from me.
Emma's likeable heroine. She's clever, brave and loyal. Jack is awesome, really loved him.
Story is well written, interesting, imaginative and well told. If there will be more of Emma's and Jack adventures I would gladly read them too.
After Emma(12) moves with her parents close to the Forest with crags as their neighbours, she is bullied at school and her best friend Marie is ashamed to talk with her in public. Emma's only companion is black cat Jack and her mother wants him to go away. But how can Emma get rid of her only friend especially since he has promised to help her to find her missing sister Helen(16)?
In her goal to find her sister Emma becomes with help from Jack a leader of group of cats, makes friends with a harpy, fights with trolls (a real one and a human one) and have many other adventures.
When I borrowed this book from a library looking for an easy & quick read I didn't expect that I will be hooked. What a pleasant surprise!
Set in a world that is very familiar to ours, (think of Alternative Universe) with one major difference magic and magical creatures (and magical persons) are real and live with humans. Emma's world is a bit too much similar with ours and that the main reason why I can't give 5 stars. I will explain why. In a world where magical creatures are real and live with humans, I just can't believe that this world will have the same history/progress as ours. To me it seems very unlikely that in Emma's world would exist Gregorian (Christian) calendar or that crags(that how magical creatures are called) would allow human made laws interfere with their activities. But that the only complain from me.
Emma's likeable heroine. She's clever, brave and loyal. Jack is awesome, really loved him.
Story is well written, interesting, imaginative and well told. If there will be more of Emma's and Jack adventures I would gladly read them too.
After Emma(12) moves with her parents close to the Forest with crags as their neighbours, she is bullied at school and her best friend Marie is ashamed to talk with her in public. Emma's only companion is black cat Jack and her mother wants him to go away. But how can Emma get rid of her only friend especially since he has promised to help her to find her missing sister Helen(16)?
In her goal to find her sister Emma becomes with help from Jack a leader of group of cats, makes friends with a harpy, fights with trolls (a real one and a human one) and have many other adventures.
January 3, 2022
What a wonderful way to start the year.
Magic, cats, hags, enchanted forests, oh and did I mention there were cats?
Totally awesome middlegrade read!
Magic, cats, hags, enchanted forests, oh and did I mention there were cats?
Totally awesome middlegrade read!
December 18, 2018
While in October, I am usually in the mood to only read scary/supernatural books. This year, I decided to start with Claws. I've had it on my TBR for several years now, and I've been wanting to read it but I haven't had time. After reading it, I thought it was an okay book.
My problem with the book that made it just okay to read was that the beginning was so slow. It didn't capture my interest at all at first. It took about seventy or so pages to get to the point where I didn't want to constantly put the book down. It made for a very truing experience. It made me want to DNF the book so badly.
That being said, I'm glad I decided to try to finish Claws after all. Once I pushed past the seventy page mark, I couldn't stop reading. I finished the rest of the book in one day because I couldn't put it down. From the pint where the group met the ratters onward, the book captivated me with it's magical plot and wouldn't let me go.
When Claws ended, I found myself feeling sad. Despite hating the beginning, I really wanted more of these characters, and this universe. I really hope the author writes a sequel. There were a few unanswered questions that I would love having answers to, such as what Jack said at the end of the book.
My problem with the book that made it just okay to read was that the beginning was so slow. It didn't capture my interest at all at first. It took about seventy or so pages to get to the point where I didn't want to constantly put the book down. It made for a very truing experience. It made me want to DNF the book so badly.
That being said, I'm glad I decided to try to finish Claws after all. Once I pushed past the seventy page mark, I couldn't stop reading. I finished the rest of the book in one day because I couldn't put it down. From the pint where the group met the ratters onward, the book captivated me with it's magical plot and wouldn't let me go.
When Claws ended, I found myself feeling sad. Despite hating the beginning, I really wanted more of these characters, and this universe. I really hope the author writes a sequel. There were a few unanswered questions that I would love having answers to, such as what Jack said at the end of the book.
April 16, 2012
I LOVED this book! Truly. It is fantasy, but I didn't get lost. The characters were truly charming and I am totally going to marry Jack. I mean it. Hands off! He is my man! :) :) I can't wait for the next one!!!!!
November 1, 2015
I think this book was very intriguing and I only rated this book 4 stars is because I didn't like when Emma figured out fairies were disgusting little creatures
August 4, 2012
This is one of those surprising books that didn't go quite as I expected. Most middle grade fantasy fic I'm familiar with tends to take place in a purely fantasy world (often with castles and pseudo medieval settings) for instance The Star Shard or it takes place in a modern world where fantasy is unexpected but shows up like: Cold Cereal. But rarely have I seen this contemporary urban fantasy setting that is fairly common in adult fiction in stories for kids.
Emma and her parents have just moved away from her friends and her old life, coming to live in a trailer park that houses Crags--all sorts of odd mythological creatures who live in and around humanity, even in this modern age. Recently Emma's sister has disappeared and her father is caught up in a desperate search to find her. Emma wants to help too and when a talking cat named Jack offers to help her find her sister--she finds it's an offer she can't refuse. Even if Jack's offer comes with some strings, more than a little danger, and whole lot of trouble!
In the tradition of many adult urban fantasies where email and government regulations fit side by side with talking animals, fairies and legendary creatures, the authors have done some stellar world building. Emma is a likable heroine who comes across as real, able to act and make choices in her life without always listening to those around her. The cat Jack is likely charming, very much the rogue. I do believe we may be seeing more of both characters and the rest of their friends, allies and enemies in books to come.
Readers who have limited patience with talking critters may want to avoid this, but I think most young readers with a penchant for fantasy will be happy to find one that not only gives them magic and fabulous monsters, but does it in a contemporary styled setting. Very lively, enjoyable and read worthy!
Emma and her parents have just moved away from her friends and her old life, coming to live in a trailer park that houses Crags--all sorts of odd mythological creatures who live in and around humanity, even in this modern age. Recently Emma's sister has disappeared and her father is caught up in a desperate search to find her. Emma wants to help too and when a talking cat named Jack offers to help her find her sister--she finds it's an offer she can't refuse. Even if Jack's offer comes with some strings, more than a little danger, and whole lot of trouble!
In the tradition of many adult urban fantasies where email and government regulations fit side by side with talking animals, fairies and legendary creatures, the authors have done some stellar world building. Emma is a likable heroine who comes across as real, able to act and make choices in her life without always listening to those around her. The cat Jack is likely charming, very much the rogue. I do believe we may be seeing more of both characters and the rest of their friends, allies and enemies in books to come.
Readers who have limited patience with talking critters may want to avoid this, but I think most young readers with a penchant for fantasy will be happy to find one that not only gives them magic and fabulous monsters, but does it in a contemporary styled setting. Very lively, enjoyable and read worthy!
October 4, 2013
I loved the cover of CLAW, it's simple, it's magical, it says everything of what the book is. I especially enjoyed the facts given in every chapter about cats, witches and other supernatural being from CragWiki.
I enjoyed the diverse cast. Emma is clever, likable, real, independent and fearless. Jack is funny, charming and a rogue. I enjoyed the talking animals; how they retain they're behaviors while being magical; the descriptions of each of them, which I found fascinating.
At first, you'll think this is just a simple fantasy, mystery, but later on, there're a lot of themes, that adults would greatly enjoy.
The book is very fast-paced, there's no boring chapter. The characters are kept to minimal. The plot is wonderfully weaved that you get to understand it at the end but not overly neat. CLAWS is lively, fun, short and sweet. An original fantasy, light read about magic, cats, fae, harpys, elves, family, friendship. It all wraps in the end, but Emma could have more adventures.
I'm 19 already, but it still feels good to read a book targeted for middle school readers. I believe this could be for parents too or anyone who enjoys a good read about magic and adorable talking cats.
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves taling animals and if ever there's a series, I can't wait to read more from this is it!
*review copy provided by Freshfiction
To see full review. visit Freshfiction.com
I enjoyed the diverse cast. Emma is clever, likable, real, independent and fearless. Jack is funny, charming and a rogue. I enjoyed the talking animals; how they retain they're behaviors while being magical; the descriptions of each of them, which I found fascinating.
At first, you'll think this is just a simple fantasy, mystery, but later on, there're a lot of themes, that adults would greatly enjoy.
The book is very fast-paced, there's no boring chapter. The characters are kept to minimal. The plot is wonderfully weaved that you get to understand it at the end but not overly neat. CLAWS is lively, fun, short and sweet. An original fantasy, light read about magic, cats, fae, harpys, elves, family, friendship. It all wraps in the end, but Emma could have more adventures.
I'm 19 already, but it still feels good to read a book targeted for middle school readers. I believe this could be for parents too or anyone who enjoys a good read about magic and adorable talking cats.
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves taling animals and if ever there's a series, I can't wait to read more from this is it!
*review copy provided by Freshfiction
To see full review. visit Freshfiction.com
July 3, 2013
In order to find her missing sister, Emma must trust Jack, a one eyed, magic-less cat and become leader of the forest cats. On top of this she must deal with her newly judgmental friend and school bullies.
I've been wanting to read this book for months. My library didn't have it so I just bought it on my nook. Then I could never find time to read it. Finally, I had an excuse. So today, I sat down, powered up my nook, and I read this book. Now this was a very good book. It was beautifully written, it had wonderful characters, except of course, Helena. She was one of the dumbest and most irresponsible character I have ever run into in a book. If she had been in this book for more than four chapters my rating would have dropped. You shouldn't give up being a human so you can spend the rest of your life with an ugly, no eyed fairy, meanwhile, leaving your family sobbing in tears. It doesn't work that way these days. Now Emma, she was a wonderful character. She was fierce, loyal, and still had her flaws. She was believable. I also liked her father. She wasn't over protective like her crazy mother. I thought the plot and world were very interesting. It was really fast paced and got right to the point.
I've been wanting to read this book for months. My library didn't have it so I just bought it on my nook. Then I could never find time to read it. Finally, I had an excuse. So today, I sat down, powered up my nook, and I read this book. Now this was a very good book. It was beautifully written, it had wonderful characters, except of course, Helena. She was one of the dumbest and most irresponsible character I have ever run into in a book. If she had been in this book for more than four chapters my rating would have dropped. You shouldn't give up being a human so you can spend the rest of your life with an ugly, no eyed fairy, meanwhile, leaving your family sobbing in tears. It doesn't work that way these days. Now Emma, she was a wonderful character. She was fierce, loyal, and still had her flaws. She was believable. I also liked her father. She wasn't over protective like her crazy mother. I thought the plot and world were very interesting. It was really fast paced and got right to the point.
June 4, 2022
4 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Het boek is echt een aanrader. Leest heel makkelijk ondanks dat er een klein lettertype wordt gebruikt. De meeste kinder- /youngadult boeken gebruiken een groter lettertype maar dit leest zo goed weg dat het niet storend is. Karakters zijn duidelijk, ook de wonderlijke wereld wordt goed beschreven zodat je er helemaal in op kunt gaan. De spanning is nooit weg. Je wilt graag dat Helena gevonden wordt. Je gaat mee met Emma op zoek naar haar zus. Want door de verdwijning van haar zus staat haar hele leven op zijn kop.
In een wereld waar mens en "wonderlingen" naast elkaar leven en Wonderingwiki.org de informatiesite is van mensen over wonderlingen woont Emma sinds kort in een stacaravan vlak naast het bos waar de meeste wonderlingen wonen. Jaren geleden is het bos ineens ontstaan en zijn de mensen verjaagd uit het centrum van de stad. Nu wonen er harpijen, slangenmensen, feeën, ratters en katten. Emma haar zusje Helena is verdwenen. Haar ouders helemaal in de ban van het vinden van Helena hebben grotendeels hun vermogen verloren, daarom wonen ze nu ook in de stacaravan. Daar maakt Emma kennis met Jack, een kat... en hij heeft een cadeau voor haar.....
Recencie eerder geplaatst op hebban
Het boek is echt een aanrader. Leest heel makkelijk ondanks dat er een klein lettertype wordt gebruikt. De meeste kinder- /youngadult boeken gebruiken een groter lettertype maar dit leest zo goed weg dat het niet storend is. Karakters zijn duidelijk, ook de wonderlijke wereld wordt goed beschreven zodat je er helemaal in op kunt gaan. De spanning is nooit weg. Je wilt graag dat Helena gevonden wordt. Je gaat mee met Emma op zoek naar haar zus. Want door de verdwijning van haar zus staat haar hele leven op zijn kop.
In een wereld waar mens en "wonderlingen" naast elkaar leven en Wonderingwiki.org de informatiesite is van mensen over wonderlingen woont Emma sinds kort in een stacaravan vlak naast het bos waar de meeste wonderlingen wonen. Jaren geleden is het bos ineens ontstaan en zijn de mensen verjaagd uit het centrum van de stad. Nu wonen er harpijen, slangenmensen, feeën, ratters en katten. Emma haar zusje Helena is verdwenen. Haar ouders helemaal in de ban van het vinden van Helena hebben grotendeels hun vermogen verloren, daarom wonen ze nu ook in de stacaravan. Daar maakt Emma kennis met Jack, een kat... en hij heeft een cadeau voor haar.....
Recencie eerder geplaatst op hebban
December 23, 2017
Emma, a young girl, occupies a world very much like our own -- except that creatures of mythology exist as second-class citizens, lumped together by the slang term "Crag."
Emma's family has been in upheaval since her older sister went missing; her father sacrificed his career as a chef to pursue any possible leads into Helena's disappearance.
The family has moved to a trailer park inhabited by various enchanted creatures, and shortly after their arrival, Emma meets a cat named Jack. He has a plan for how Emma can find and rescue her sister, but in doing so, Emma embarks upon becoming a magical creature herself.
This story appealed to me for its depiction of creatures of mythology living alongside humans. The "CragWiki" facts of the day add an interesting framework at the start of each chapter.
Emma's family has been in upheaval since her older sister went missing; her father sacrificed his career as a chef to pursue any possible leads into Helena's disappearance.
The family has moved to a trailer park inhabited by various enchanted creatures, and shortly after their arrival, Emma meets a cat named Jack. He has a plan for how Emma can find and rescue her sister, but in doing so, Emma embarks upon becoming a magical creature herself.
This story appealed to me for its depiction of creatures of mythology living alongside humans. The "CragWiki" facts of the day add an interesting framework at the start of each chapter.
June 30, 2016
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the action, and the world a lot. I thought it was cool that people new about the enchanted creatures. I did miss the humor and romance in this book. I feel like it was lacking those two things a lot. I did enjoy Emma's character and how she thought. Definitely a good quick paced fantasy read.
January 15, 2023
Claws is set in an alternate universe where mythical creatures are taking over the city at an alarming rate, so much so that humans are on constant alert for anything magic-related. Like most of the human citizens of this city, Emma and her family shun all things magic... until older sister, Helena mysteriously goes missing. When this happens Emma's father, driven by the need to find his missing daughter, gives up everything he has to find her. This forces Emma's family to move to a small trailer in an undesirable part of town due to its proximity to the magical forest. Emma, realizing that the only way for her family to have peace and stability again is to find her sister, joins forces with an unlikely alley... Jack, a magical cat. Jack agrees to help Emma in her quest to find Helena, but only after she dabbles in some serious cat-magic herself.
This is most definitly not my typical read, but my nephew got it for me to read/ discuss with him... so I did! The magical elements of the story where a bit far-fetched for me, at times (even as someone who enjoys fantasy and post-apocolyptic books). Also the story had some unanswered questions at the end that bothered me. But all-in-all it was an intriguing story that is certainly unlike anything I've read before and completly unpredictable the entire time.
What was truly interesting to me, however, was the parallels the book made to human trafficing and why/ how teens could get manipulated by their captors. The ending, in particular, truly paints a picture of the psychological brainwashing that teens caught in the snare of trafficing likely go through, and the emotions some teens might have upon rescue. It was surprisingly deep for the way the story had progressed up to that point, and kind of caught me off guard. This book could make for a good read and discussion for middle-high school aged students.
This is most definitly not my typical read, but my nephew got it for me to read/ discuss with him... so I did! The magical elements of the story where a bit far-fetched for me, at times (even as someone who enjoys fantasy and post-apocolyptic books). Also the story had some unanswered questions at the end that bothered me. But all-in-all it was an intriguing story that is certainly unlike anything I've read before and completly unpredictable the entire time.
What was truly interesting to me, however, was the parallels the book made to human trafficing and why/ how teens could get manipulated by their captors. The ending, in particular, truly paints a picture of the psychological brainwashing that teens caught in the snare of trafficing likely go through, and the emotions some teens might have upon rescue. It was surprisingly deep for the way the story had progressed up to that point, and kind of caught me off guard. This book could make for a good read and discussion for middle-high school aged students.
May 8, 2024
3.5
i was 12 when i first read this book and i enjoyed it now just as much as i did back then!
VERY nostalgic for me - i loved the magical elements in the book that made it unique, like harpies and trolls living among humans at a trailer park, the CragWiki.org segments that revealed the histories of the magical creatures, a great cast of crag characters, the fact there are magic cats that can shapeshift - it was awesome.
growing up, i remember thinking there was a sequel that i hadn't read yet. turns out this is a standalone novel, but the book definitely feels as if they set it up for a sequel that was never published.
i would've loved to see more of this world and see what Emma and Jack the cat would have done next, but for the meantime i will just enjoy this little slice of nostalgia!
i was 12 when i first read this book and i enjoyed it now just as much as i did back then!
VERY nostalgic for me - i loved the magical elements in the book that made it unique, like harpies and trolls living among humans at a trailer park, the CragWiki.org segments that revealed the histories of the magical creatures, a great cast of crag characters, the fact there are magic cats that can shapeshift - it was awesome.
growing up, i remember thinking there was a sequel that i hadn't read yet. turns out this is a standalone novel, but the book definitely feels as if they set it up for a sequel that was never published.
i would've loved to see more of this world and see what Emma and Jack the cat would have done next, but for the meantime i will just enjoy this little slice of nostalgia!
October 7, 2013
I know this book was written for Middle School kids, or even kids younger than that, but even with that in mind, I still didn't care for this book.
I found it odd that right off the bat, we know about all these fictional creatures. The hag, the coatl, the pride, the trolls, the ratter, the faeries - I mean I just found it odd that people knew about them and were completely okay with it. I mean I think it would have been a bit more interesting if Emma found out about them secretly and had to hide it from the rest of the world.
Another gripe I had about the book were that Emma's parents, especially her mother, were extremely annoying. So were the kids at school. They were in the book for a few chapters, and they were the same, boring, one-dimensional bullies that we see in every book like this. I wished they would have gone more into that and talk about how Emma coped at school, aside from scarring a child with her claws. I also wished that maybe Marie and Emma could have talked toward the end of the book or something.
I also felt like the pride, the ending, and most of the plot was glanced over. Emma's training as a Pride-Heart: only a few pages, she just learns along the way and literally figures it out all on her own; the Pride and how things work, where they live, what they normally do: never explained; the ending, finding Helena, and Helena's reaction to her sister RISKING HER LIFE TO SAVE HER: glanced over and barely explored.
Why didn't Emma and Helena sit down at the end of the novel and talk about what really happened? Instead, what happened? Helena says "I can never forgive you because I loved him". Really? Your sister becomes half cat and risks her life to save you, and you say you can't forgive her?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?
I felt like the beginning of the book, especially toward the middle when Emma, the Pride, and her father went to Old Downtown where Cricket and the trolls were. I thought that that was interesting, and I felt like that should have been the climax - it was well-paced, exciting, and kept my turning the pages.
It wasn't a... bad book. There wasn't anything really bad, but it isn't something I'll be reading again.
I found it odd that right off the bat, we know about all these fictional creatures. The hag, the coatl, the pride, the trolls, the ratter, the faeries - I mean I just found it odd that people knew about them and were completely okay with it. I mean I think it would have been a bit more interesting if Emma found out about them secretly and had to hide it from the rest of the world.
Another gripe I had about the book were that Emma's parents, especially her mother, were extremely annoying. So were the kids at school. They were in the book for a few chapters, and they were the same, boring, one-dimensional bullies that we see in every book like this. I wished they would have gone more into that and talk about how Emma coped at school, aside from scarring a child with her claws. I also wished that maybe Marie and Emma could have talked toward the end of the book or something.
I also felt like the pride, the ending, and most of the plot was glanced over. Emma's training as a Pride-Heart: only a few pages, she just learns along the way and literally figures it out all on her own; the Pride and how things work, where they live, what they normally do: never explained; the ending, finding Helena, and Helena's reaction to her sister RISKING HER LIFE TO SAVE HER: glanced over and barely explored.
Why didn't Emma and Helena sit down at the end of the novel and talk about what really happened? Instead, what happened? Helena says "I can never forgive you because I loved him". Really? Your sister becomes half cat and risks her life to save you, and you say you can't forgive her?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?
I felt like the beginning of the book, especially toward the middle when Emma, the Pride, and her father went to Old Downtown where Cricket and the trolls were. I thought that that was interesting, and I felt like that should have been the climax - it was well-paced, exciting, and kept my turning the pages.
It wasn't a... bad book. There wasn't anything really bad, but it isn't something I'll be reading again.
December 11, 2012
In modern-day America where magical creatures of many kinds roam (some of them dangerous to humans)Emma's older sister Helena has gone missing. Their parents will do anything to find her, even move into a rundown trailer park next to where the crags (magical beings) hang out. The first sign that anything is different is the talking cat who already lives in their trailer. Before long Emma is up to her neck in magic and danger, determined to find her sister.
I'm far from being the target audience for this book and though I read the first few Harry Potter books I don't normally read much in the fantasy genre. However, despite all this, I quite enjoyed Claws.
I liked the fact that the existence of the crags is taken as normal and that the relationship between them and humans is more likely to be negative than positive. The fact that Emma's family is Vietnamese-American also makes the book a bit different to the usual. I enjoyed the portrayal of the different types of crags, though on a personal note I'm not a big fan of cats (allergic!) so would have enjoyed it more had they been another type of animal.
Emma is a sympathetic character and all the plot strands knit together effectively without it all being too neat. The book is a short, satisfying read and looks likely to be the start of a series.
I'm far from being the target audience for this book and though I read the first few Harry Potter books I don't normally read much in the fantasy genre. However, despite all this, I quite enjoyed Claws.
I liked the fact that the existence of the crags is taken as normal and that the relationship between them and humans is more likely to be negative than positive. The fact that Emma's family is Vietnamese-American also makes the book a bit different to the usual. I enjoyed the portrayal of the different types of crags, though on a personal note I'm not a big fan of cats (allergic!) so would have enjoyed it more had they been another type of animal.
Emma is a sympathetic character and all the plot strands knit together effectively without it all being too neat. The book is a short, satisfying read and looks likely to be the start of a series.
December 26, 2015
Het boek is echt een aanrader. Leest heel makkelijk ondanks dat er een klein lettertype wordt gebruikt. De meeste kinder- /youngadult boeken gebruiken een groter lettertype maar dit leest zo goed weg dat het niet storend is. Karakters zijn duidelijk, ook de wonderlijke wereld wordt goed beschreven zodat je helemaal op kan gaan in die andere mogelijke wereld. De spanning is nooit weg. Je wilt graag dat Helena gevonden wordt. Je gaat mee met Emma op zoek naar haar zus. Want door de verdwijning van haar zus staat haar hele leven op zijn kop.
In een wereld waar mens en "wonderlingen" naast elkaar leven en Wonderingwiki.org de informatiesite is van mensen over wonderlingen woont Emma sinds kort in een stacaravan vlak naast het bos waar de meeste wonderlingen wonen. Jaren geleden is het bos ineens ontstaan en zijn de mensen verjaagd uit het centrum van de stad. Nu wonen er harpijen, slangenmensen, feeën, ratters en katten. Emma haar zusje Helena is verdwenen. Haar ouders helemaal in de ban van het vinden van Helena hebben grotendeels hun vermogen verloren, daarom wonen ze nu ook in de stacaravan. Daar maakt Emma kennis met Jack, een kat... en hij heeft een cadeau voor haar.....
In een wereld waar mens en "wonderlingen" naast elkaar leven en Wonderingwiki.org de informatiesite is van mensen over wonderlingen woont Emma sinds kort in een stacaravan vlak naast het bos waar de meeste wonderlingen wonen. Jaren geleden is het bos ineens ontstaan en zijn de mensen verjaagd uit het centrum van de stad. Nu wonen er harpijen, slangenmensen, feeën, ratters en katten. Emma haar zusje Helena is verdwenen. Haar ouders helemaal in de ban van het vinden van Helena hebben grotendeels hun vermogen verloren, daarom wonen ze nu ook in de stacaravan. Daar maakt Emma kennis met Jack, een kat... en hij heeft een cadeau voor haar.....
November 28, 2024
I really wasn't expecting this book to be so fantastic.
It was well-written, captivating, had excellent character development. The ending wrapped up the story wonderfully. I really loved every part of it. Emma made some poor choices at times, but it felt right given her age and lack of world experience. They even did that right in this book! I would have liked to see more to find out what became of Helena and the family, but for a short standalone, it's impressive that I wasn't left with any unanswered questions or feeling like it was rushed through.
I was hooked from the beginning, and it just kept getting better and better!
It was well-written, captivating, had excellent character development. The ending wrapped up the story wonderfully. I really loved every part of it. Emma made some poor choices at times, but it felt right given her age and lack of world experience. They even did that right in this book! I would have liked to see more to find out what became of Helena and the family, but for a short standalone, it's impressive that I wasn't left with any unanswered questions or feeling like it was rushed through.
I was hooked from the beginning, and it just kept getting better and better!
March 3, 2016
Hi!
How are you?
Oh, I'm good thanks!
Since I finished my book, I would rate it a **** out of 5 Claws book's. I rate it a 4 because at times this book gets a little boring but, sometimes you just have to keep reading and the book will slow start getting better.
That's my opinion on a book called Claws!
Bye_For_Now!
How are you?
Oh, I'm good thanks!
Since I finished my book, I would rate it a **** out of 5 Claws book's. I rate it a 4 because at times this book gets a little boring but, sometimes you just have to keep reading and the book will slow start getting better.
That's my opinion on a book called Claws!
Bye_For_Now!
November 8, 2012
For younger kids (maybe 8 to 11). The story is fairly simplistic, but it has more adult themes at the end. It certainly didn't go where I expected, and I am sure I would have enjoyed it more as a kid! As it was, a tight and somewhat dark story rife with elves and magic.
March 29, 2013
It may be "the best book EVER" for a 9 year old, but not so much for her mom.
October 23, 2013
I never got to finish it because it didn't really interest me all that much.
July 14, 2016
onea my favorite books
September 27, 2016
It. Was. Amazing bruh.
May 15, 2024
Have you ever wanted to read Warrior Cats but with a human protagonist in a recession-coded suburban fantasy setting? I haven't, but boy do I have a recommendation for you.
October 26, 2017
As a first book from this couple, this story had great potential. The idea of a very dangerous modern world where humans live alongside fantasy creatures has been done many times before, but not often quite like this. I really like the idea of rat-like creatures hacking people's cellphones and an online fantasy creature wiki called "CragWiki.org."
My biggest issue with the book is that it seems like so many things established in the first half are never followed up on, or never developed. At one point Emma, the main character, uses a brick to break a window and sneak into a school in the middle of the night. I thought at some point she would be caught for this, have to face some repercussions, but no, it was never mentioned again.
The world building is very interesting, but somewhat confusing. Early on, I couldn't tell when exactly the magical creatures had descended upon this world. At first I thought it had happened in modern time, because the humans were still very racist against all the magical creatures, but then there was a CragWiki note about the "Salem Cat Trials" (instead of Salem Witch Trials) and about merfolk helping out during the sinking of the Titanic, so apparently these magical creatures have existed alongside humans all throughout history? Why is there still so much prejudice against them? I feel like this could have been explained better. There could have been a scene in Emma's school set during history class, or something.
I was also surprised that there was very little in the book about the human-vs.-Crag racism. It's so strongly established from the beginning that the humans are terrified of the Crags (the non-human races). They even have segregated schools and segregated living places. (Emma and her family moving to a trailer park where Crags live is seen as very odd and gets her teased at school.) And although Emma makes friends with magical cats and a harpy, she never has any personal realization along the lines of "Oh I shouldn't judge this person just because they aren't human" or "This harpy girl isn't really so different than me, why do we have to go to separate schools?"
In the opening scene of the book, Emma's father calls their new neighbor a Naga and the neighbor is angry at them because he is actually a Coatl, a similar looking species. But this slight racism is never followed up on either. Emma never learns more about the character or his people, in fact he only has one or two more speaking lines in the entire book. He seems to only exist to establish that the humans can be racist to different Crag races, and we never go anywhere beyond that.
It sounds from this critique like I hated the book, but that's not true. I think it's a great idea for a story! I just wish it had been developed more. If this were the start of a series, it would make sense to leave these developments for a later book. But as far as I can tell, this is a stand-alone story.
My biggest issue with the book is that it seems like so many things established in the first half are never followed up on, or never developed. At one point Emma, the main character, uses a brick to break a window and sneak into a school in the middle of the night. I thought at some point she would be caught for this, have to face some repercussions, but no, it was never mentioned again.
The world building is very interesting, but somewhat confusing. Early on, I couldn't tell when exactly the magical creatures had descended upon this world. At first I thought it had happened in modern time, because the humans were still very racist against all the magical creatures, but then there was a CragWiki note about the "Salem Cat Trials" (instead of Salem Witch Trials) and about merfolk helping out during the sinking of the Titanic, so apparently these magical creatures have existed alongside humans all throughout history? Why is there still so much prejudice against them? I feel like this could have been explained better. There could have been a scene in Emma's school set during history class, or something.
I was also surprised that there was very little in the book about the human-vs.-Crag racism. It's so strongly established from the beginning that the humans are terrified of the Crags (the non-human races). They even have segregated schools and segregated living places. (Emma and her family moving to a trailer park where Crags live is seen as very odd and gets her teased at school.) And although Emma makes friends with magical cats and a harpy, she never has any personal realization along the lines of "Oh I shouldn't judge this person just because they aren't human" or "This harpy girl isn't really so different than me, why do we have to go to separate schools?"
In the opening scene of the book, Emma's father calls their new neighbor a Naga and the neighbor is angry at them because he is actually a Coatl, a similar looking species. But this slight racism is never followed up on either. Emma never learns more about the character or his people, in fact he only has one or two more speaking lines in the entire book. He seems to only exist to establish that the humans can be racist to different Crag races, and we never go anywhere beyond that.
It sounds from this critique like I hated the book, but that's not true. I think it's a great idea for a story! I just wish it had been developed more. If this were the start of a series, it would make sense to leave these developments for a later book. But as far as I can tell, this is a stand-alone story.
Read
January 19, 2025Not rating this because it’s too nostalgic and precious to me to be rated objectively.
While Claws is decidedly middle grade, with clumsy writing at times and even clumsier worldbuilding, there’s something of substance to this story that I fell for as a kid and fell for again as an adult. It’s sensory in a way that really works- it gives a tactile feeling to the magic and experiences the protagonist Emma goes through that makes it hard not to put yourself in her shoes. The descriptions of Emma’s transformation into a cat, her heightened senses, bodily changes and shifting mindset have stuck with me since I was a tween and honestly inform a lot of writing choices I make now when creating my own stories.
Things go quicker than I remembered, the whole story taking place over about a week, but it STUCK with me.
I think what works the most (and also doesn’t work the most) is the constant hinting at a bigger world. The authors always are imbedding clues to a bigger picture- how did the forest take over half the city? How long have crags and humans had to live together, and were tensions always so high? Who writes for cragwiki? What really happened in Jack’s past? What about the school for crag children, what do they learn there and what sort of lives do they live outside human society?
It’s enough to hook me, the slow release of information, but there’s never enough information to really satisfy that and it leaves a million loose ends.
I also think there was a lot of build up to the humans vs crags tension. The humans are like, openly racist to these magical creatures and it’s sort of implied to be a metaphor for actual racism in a way, but then we just sorta forget about it and never speak of it again. They even say that the relations between humans and crags has gotten way worse in the aftermath of the faerie scandal but don’t follow up. What does this mean for crags trying to live normally in this world? Are we supposed to be of the opinion that crags actually are villainous? It almost seems that way, despite Emma fighting to coexist with the crags the whole book. There was zero unpacking of crag prejudice in a book where that felt a little necessary, especially since there’s a vague mention of Emma having experienced similar treatment when she was teased as a kid for her Vietnamese heritage. Like, we had potential here (although the authors would’ve had to be very careful with how they approached the subject matter) but it seems like it was awkwardly sidestepped instead.
I think Mike and Rachel Grinti were working up to making this a series of novels instead of just the one, but as far as I can tell, they never wrote another. There’s just too many loose ends. Especially the ending with Helena- i really like that they took this approach actually, like she really didn’t want to be found and Emma has to now sit with the fact that she did all this for someone who didn’t want her to… but also she managed to reclaim her agency and found some friends who treat her the way she deserves along the way… so it’s really more of a personal journey……. However - it’s so unsatisfying after all that at the same time to see Helena returned but so ungrateful and so unhappy.
Even so. This depiction of fairies was so goddamn cool to me. THEY USE HUMANS AS EYE PUPPETS!!! And cats having magical powers!! And the ratterking!!! The ratterking was fucking awesome and I think about it a lot. I thought the concepts for the creatures had a unique spin on them and wasn’t disappointed in that way at all.
Thanks Vancouver public library once again for funding my ridiculous childhood rereads and making my dreams come true. Will have to remember the better plot points and use them for my own will
While Claws is decidedly middle grade, with clumsy writing at times and even clumsier worldbuilding, there’s something of substance to this story that I fell for as a kid and fell for again as an adult. It’s sensory in a way that really works- it gives a tactile feeling to the magic and experiences the protagonist Emma goes through that makes it hard not to put yourself in her shoes. The descriptions of Emma’s transformation into a cat, her heightened senses, bodily changes and shifting mindset have stuck with me since I was a tween and honestly inform a lot of writing choices I make now when creating my own stories.
Things go quicker than I remembered, the whole story taking place over about a week, but it STUCK with me.
I think what works the most (and also doesn’t work the most) is the constant hinting at a bigger world. The authors always are imbedding clues to a bigger picture- how did the forest take over half the city? How long have crags and humans had to live together, and were tensions always so high? Who writes for cragwiki? What really happened in Jack’s past? What about the school for crag children, what do they learn there and what sort of lives do they live outside human society?
It’s enough to hook me, the slow release of information, but there’s never enough information to really satisfy that and it leaves a million loose ends.
I also think there was a lot of build up to the humans vs crags tension. The humans are like, openly racist to these magical creatures and it’s sort of implied to be a metaphor for actual racism in a way, but then we just sorta forget about it and never speak of it again. They even say that the relations between humans and crags has gotten way worse in the aftermath of the faerie scandal but don’t follow up. What does this mean for crags trying to live normally in this world? Are we supposed to be of the opinion that crags actually are villainous? It almost seems that way, despite Emma fighting to coexist with the crags the whole book. There was zero unpacking of crag prejudice in a book where that felt a little necessary, especially since there’s a vague mention of Emma having experienced similar treatment when she was teased as a kid for her Vietnamese heritage. Like, we had potential here (although the authors would’ve had to be very careful with how they approached the subject matter) but it seems like it was awkwardly sidestepped instead.
I think Mike and Rachel Grinti were working up to making this a series of novels instead of just the one, but as far as I can tell, they never wrote another. There’s just too many loose ends. Especially the ending with Helena- i really like that they took this approach actually, like she really didn’t want to be found and Emma has to now sit with the fact that she did all this for someone who didn’t want her to… but also she managed to reclaim her agency and found some friends who treat her the way she deserves along the way… so it’s really more of a personal journey……. However - it’s so unsatisfying after all that at the same time to see Helena returned but so ungrateful and so unhappy.
Even so. This depiction of fairies was so goddamn cool to me. THEY USE HUMANS AS EYE PUPPETS!!! And cats having magical powers!! And the ratterking!!! The ratterking was fucking awesome and I think about it a lot. I thought the concepts for the creatures had a unique spin on them and wasn’t disappointed in that way at all.
Thanks Vancouver public library once again for funding my ridiculous childhood rereads and making my dreams come true. Will have to remember the better plot points and use them for my own will
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2017
I think this novel is somewhere between childrens and young adult. The narrator and story in general made me feel this way. The narrator is twelve-year-old Emma, whose sister has gone missing. Now Emma and her family have moved to a trailer park full of magical creatures, where she also meets cat Jack. And he is willing to help her find her sister, which leads to a great adventure filled with cats, interesting magical creatures that are fun to read about (both with good and bad intentions, and both), faeries and danger.
The story was interesting, mostly because of all of the magical creatures (I'm sure they are called something else, but I read it in Dutch where they are called 'Wonderlingen' and I am roughly translating). I liked the main character, because she wasn't continuously trying to prove herself or trying to go out of her way, which she could have in her case. It was fun to read. The novel wasn't extremely exciting or extraordinarily brilliant, but still fun and it had an original storyline. It's an easy read that still keeps you gripped and makes you want to know how it ends until the last pages. Oh, and the cats. I'm surprised this doesn't have more reads, but is still available in my native language. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes cats, adventure and magic.
The story was interesting, mostly because of all of the magical creatures (I'm sure they are called something else, but I read it in Dutch where they are called 'Wonderlingen' and I am roughly translating). I liked the main character, because she wasn't continuously trying to prove herself or trying to go out of her way, which she could have in her case. It was fun to read. The novel wasn't extremely exciting or extraordinarily brilliant, but still fun and it had an original storyline. It's an easy read that still keeps you gripped and makes you want to know how it ends until the last pages. Oh, and the cats. I'm surprised this doesn't have more reads, but is still available in my native language. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes cats, adventure and magic.
October 20, 2017
The book I chose to read this October was Claws by Mike and Rachel Grinti. Overall, this is an amazing book. It is about a girl named Emma, whose parents give up everything to find her sister, Helena. Her parents have spent their life savings on a missing persons search. They soon have no choice but to downgrade to a beaten trailer park on the edge of a forest. When Emma finds a new furry friend in the vents of her room, she believes that cat magic might solve her family's crisis.
My personal opinion of Claws is a full 5 STARS!! This book is so adventurous and shows not only the frightening side of cats, but the sweet and loving side. This book's 249 pages is quick to read through... especially since I couldn't put this book down!! The adventures with crags, faeries, and the Dark Forest is so hooking! It also gives you some little life lessons along the way. 5 stars all the way, this is an outstanding book!
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love adventure and fantasy books. This also isn't difficult to read, and has a fair amount of pages, so this is also a great book for all ages! :)
My personal opinion of Claws is a full 5 STARS!! This book is so adventurous and shows not only the frightening side of cats, but the sweet and loving side. This book's 249 pages is quick to read through... especially since I couldn't put this book down!! The adventures with crags, faeries, and the Dark Forest is so hooking! It also gives you some little life lessons along the way. 5 stars all the way, this is an outstanding book!
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love adventure and fantasy books. This also isn't difficult to read, and has a fair amount of pages, so this is also a great book for all ages! :)
November 16, 2017
2.5 Stars
Claws was a very...interesting book. It's a book about Emma who has just moved into a trailer in a forest full of magical creatures because her sister, Helena has gone missing. While she is there, she meets a cat named Jack who helps her find her sister.
Honestly, the book never really caught my attention and I had doubts that I wouldn't like it. The beginning was very boring and...blah. I feel like the authors created a very poor fantasy landscape and never really described anything with much detail. The dialogue also felt very awkward a lot of the time, especially when Jack was speaking. I barely liked him at all.
However, characters like Toe-Chewer were ones that I enjoyed. Fat Leon's humor was also very clever. So it has cats, which I like, so I'll give it that!
Another thing is that almost everyone has very bland names. Ex; Emma, Jack, Chloe, Matt, etc. Couldn't the author had come up with better names than that?
Later on, there is more action that kind of held my attention, but other than that, the book wasn't very good. I'm not even sure who I'd recommend it to. It's more for cat people I guess? But it isn't hardcore fantasy.
Claws was a very...interesting book. It's a book about Emma who has just moved into a trailer in a forest full of magical creatures because her sister, Helena has gone missing. While she is there, she meets a cat named Jack who helps her find her sister.
Honestly, the book never really caught my attention and I had doubts that I wouldn't like it. The beginning was very boring and...blah. I feel like the authors created a very poor fantasy landscape and never really described anything with much detail. The dialogue also felt very awkward a lot of the time, especially when Jack was speaking. I barely liked him at all.
However, characters like Toe-Chewer were ones that I enjoyed. Fat Leon's humor was also very clever. So it has cats, which I like, so I'll give it that!
Another thing is that almost everyone has very bland names. Ex; Emma, Jack, Chloe, Matt, etc. Couldn't the author had come up with better names than that?
Later on, there is more action that kind of held my attention, but other than that, the book wasn't very good. I'm not even sure who I'd recommend it to. It's more for cat people I guess? But it isn't hardcore fantasy.
November 1, 2023
Definitely a 5 star for me, I didn't find anything that stood out as bad. All my questions were answered and it wrapped up very well.
My favorite character has to be a tie between Jack and Nissa. Both were well thought out characters that I truly loved. I'm a huge fan of cats so reading the description of the book made me so excited. Honestly I loved it straight from the beginning of the book, the girl becoming a cat, to the cats lovely personalities in the story, really took this story to the next level for me, it made me so excited to read more and more. It is so cute and funny and truly an enjoyable standalone book. Definitely one of my favorite cat books I've ever read and even though this book isn't very Halloween themed, I felt it was right that I finished this book on Halloween night.
100000% would recommend this book. Absolutely loved it and like I said I have absolutely nothing bad to say about it. Details were there, and honestly it was surprising how much details this book gives you for it being only 249 pages, everything was planned out well. Absolutely loved this 💜💜💜
My favorite character has to be a tie between Jack and Nissa. Both were well thought out characters that I truly loved. I'm a huge fan of cats so reading the description of the book made me so excited. Honestly I loved it straight from the beginning of the book, the girl becoming a cat, to the cats lovely personalities in the story, really took this story to the next level for me, it made me so excited to read more and more. It is so cute and funny and truly an enjoyable standalone book. Definitely one of my favorite cat books I've ever read and even though this book isn't very Halloween themed, I felt it was right that I finished this book on Halloween night.
100000% would recommend this book. Absolutely loved it and like I said I have absolutely nothing bad to say about it. Details were there, and honestly it was surprising how much details this book gives you for it being only 249 pages, everything was planned out well. Absolutely loved this 💜💜💜
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